Cuba denounced at the UN the impact of economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States on women''s development.
'The blockade is a form of direct and indirect violence that affects and impairs the enjoyment of fundamental rights of Cuban women, including their right to development', said Ambassador Ana Silvia Rodriguez at the session of the Third Committee of the General Assembly.
Ana Silvia Rodriguez explained to the committee responsible for social, cultural and humanitarian issues that Cuba considers that the elimination of all unilateral coercive measures is a key factor on the worldwide eradication of abuses against the women.
According to Rodriguez, the blockade imposed by Washington more than half a century ago, has not been an obstacle for Cuba to show significant progress in gender equality and empowerment of women.
Despite the US blockade, Cuba retains its political will to comply with international agreements adopted to guarantee the rights of the women, Rodriguez said.
Speaking at the Third Committee of the Assembly, Rodriguez highlighted that Cuban women receive equal pay as men for work of equal value and are entitled to widow's pension, to total or partial disability pension, to receive bank loans , free education and health, and paid maternity leave.
Also, the Ambassador mentioned the inclusion of women in the labor market, with a rate of less than 3.5 percent of female unemployment, and political life, with women being almost half of parliamentarians (48.9 percent) and members of the State Council (45.2).
Regarding the women's situation worldwide, Rodriguez lamented how millions of women are victims of poverty, unemployment, employment discrimination, human trafficking and physical and sexual violence.
To overcome this, Rodriguez said that it is necessary the achievement of a just and equitable international order, marked by the eradication of poverty and hunger, the end of wars, preservation of the environment and mastering a vision beneficial for human beings.